There are
many religious movements today that may seem new to us.
However, most of their ideas and policies have been
practiced for centuries. They are put under new names with
new faces, but their goals are still the same; to turn
people's focus away from God and towards man made ideas and
icons.

Ecclesiastes
1: 9b,10

"
...and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there
anything whereof it may be said, See this is new? it hath
been already of old time, which was before us."

There are most likely many
others that applied their names in agreement even if they
never made it public. As well, one must consider the influence
and position each in agreement has with colleagues and
congregations.

The second
document which was formally released December 8,1997 in Christianity
Today included evangelical and Catholic theologians who
had met in New York and together adopted the joint statement
entitled "The
Gift of Salvation" also called "Evangelicals
and Catholics Together II."

The
statement that was distributed throughout the Internet for
several months before the official publishing included
Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Christian Life
Commission, and Bob Seiple (World Vision) as signers, but
their names were subsequently omitted in the Christianity
Today report with no explanation offered.

"The
publication of "The Gift of Salvation" in Christianity
Today is accompanied by an introduction by Timothy
George, senior adviser to Christianity Today and
dean of Beeson Divinity School at the Southern
Baptist-supported Samford University in Birmingham,
Alabama. George says "The Gift of Salvation"
"has been made possible by a major realignment in
ecumenical discourse: the coalescence of believing Roman
Catholics and faithful evangelicals who both affirm the
substance of historic Christian orthodoxy against the
ideology of theological pluralism that marks much mainline
Protestant thought as well as avant-garde Catholic
theology. Thus, for all our differences, Bible-believing
evangelicals stand much closer to Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger than to Bishop John Spong!" (George,
"Evangelicals and Catholics Together: A New
Initiative," Christianity Today, Dec. 8,
1997, p. 34).

In
Atlanta, Georgia at a Pastors conference, Promise Keepers
brought together "leadership" from The World
Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches,
evangelicals, Mormons, and Roman Catholics, including about
600 priests.

Bill
McCartney of Promise Keepers says this:

"We
have a plan...Baptists... Lutherans...Roman
Catholics...we've been divided...but now we're being
reunited...! Nobody can go out of here without the same
plan...every man connected to a church; every church
connected to each other...! (Washington,DC)

But lest
it be suggested that Promise Keepers and it's supporter are
the only vehicle being used to further the agenda of uniting
people and religion, the following should be cause to pause.

"...
A senior Vatican official has said that the Roman
Catholic Church is ready to sign - "without delay
and in its integrity" - a major statement with the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) which aims to resolve a
doctrinal dispute dating from the Reformation.
Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said
that he was clarifying "misreadings" of the
official Catholic response to the "joint
declaration on justification", on the basis of
which some observers believed the Vatican had given only
qualified support to the joint declaration with the LWF,
the world's major grouping of Lutheran churches...
The doctrine of justification was a major point of
contention between Martin Luther and his followers and
the Papacy at the time of the Reformation. The
differences led to mutual doctrinal condemnations by
Lutherans and Catholics.
A key paragraph in the joint declaration - which was
drawn up by a Catholic-Lutheran working group - states
that these condemnations do not apply to the Lutheran
and Catholic doctrines on justification as they are
presented in the declaration. Many Lutherans hope that
such a statement will allow significant ecumenical
progress with the Roman Catholic Church in other
areas..." end quote.

There are
many entering into agreements to "unite" the
world, either through denominations or causes. However God
calls His people to something else.

There are
serious issues that cannot be ignored when looking to the
Catholic Church. Mary Ann Collins, a former Catholic nun,
writing about Catholic issues states:

"The
Pope is called “Holy Father” and the Catholic Church
is called “Holy Mother Church”.According
to “The Catholic Encyclopedia,” the idea of freedom of
religion is wrong.People
are not supposed to use their own personal judgment to
determine their religious beliefs.(This article is online.)

According
to Canon Law (the official laws governingthe Roman Catholic Church), Catholics are required
to submit their minds and wills to any declaration
concerning faith or morals which is made by the Pope or by
a church council.They
are also required to avoid anything that disagrees with
such declarations.And
they can be coerced if they don’t comply.(You can read these laws online.) [Note 2]

The
Catholic Church teaches that only the Magisterium of the
Catholic Church (the Pope and the bishops in communion
with him) has the right to interpret Scripture.People like us are not allowed to interpret
Scripture for ourselves.We have to check it out with Church authorities.(This is online.)[Note 3]

Catholicism
teaches that Catholics are supposed to “receive with
docility” any directives
given to them by Catholic Church authorities.(This is online.) [Note 4]

Catholicism
teaches that there is no salvation apart from the Catholic
Church, its sacramental system, the priesthood, and the
Pope

The
Bible says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers”. (2 Corinthians 6:14)By Biblical standards, the Catholic Church presents
a Gospel that is badly distorted.It is salvation by “Jesus plus”.Jesus plus the Catholic Church.Jesus plus the sacraments.Jesus plus good works.Jesus plus Catholic tradition.

This
is contrary to Scripture.The Apostle Paul said that requiring people to be
circumcised nullifies the grace of God, with the result
that people are not saved.It is such a serious thing that “Christ is become
of no effect unto you” and you “are fallen from
grace”.In
other words, Jesus Christ no longer does you any good.
(Galatians 5:1-4)

If
just being required to add circumcision nullifies the
grace of God, then what happens when you are required to
add the sacraments and the Pope and Catholic tradition and
good works and the Catholic magisterium?[The “magisterium” is the official teaching
authority of the Roman Catholic Church.]

Catholics
have faith in the Catholic Church.(Their faith in Jesus Christ is through the
Catholic Church, rather than directly in Jesus Himself.)Their rule of faith is the “Catechism of the
Catholic Church” and other official Catholic documents.This includes the Catholic Bible, as interpreted by
the Catholic magisterium..."

http://www.CatholicConcerns.com

A
Little History

Freemasonry
is one group that claims many fronts and forms, but whose
goals and philosophy are embraced by adherents, as the
"Universal Religion". Through much research into
history one will find many other groups that have tried to
unite different people and religions into one religion. One
major conflict to that agenda was the Reformation. It was a
major turning point for Christianity but also a time when
the Catholic Church was grieved for those who chose to
follow the Protestant religion. That grief has never
subsided.

Since that
time Rome has developed strategies and policies to bring
"the lost sheep" back into the fold, under the
required leadership of the Pope, while many outside the
Catholic faith work their way back to Rome.

Many of
those strategies were discussed in the book, "The
Secret History of The Oxford Movement" by Walter Walsh,
1899. Though Walsh was writing about the work of the
Catholic church in his time, many of the thoughts and ideas
are applicable to many Christian organizations and leaders
today.

The book
was written as an expose on the secret societies and
movement of the Society of the Holy Cross, "Ritualists
and Romanizers" in the 1800's. Walsh wrote,
"Secret Ritualistic Societies have now come into
existence, and they are increasing in number every year...
At present the Church of England is literally honeycombed
with Secret Societies, all working in the interests of the
scheme for the Corporate Reunion of the Church of England
with the Church of Rome. These secret plotters are the real
wire-pullers of the Ritualistic Movement.... report of
speeches delivered in the secret meetings of Secret
Societies, and of Semi-Secret Societies, several of them by
men who have since risen to positions of eminence in the
Church of England. (Pg. xxxviii Preface)

Quoting
from Jesuits and those who were Catholic or Catholic
sympathizers or supporters, Walsh recounted,

"......Cardinal
Newman... 1833 as the start of the Tractarian Movement.
Within three months from that date he published his work
on the "Arians of the Fourth Century", in
which the "Disciplina Arcani", or the
"secret teaching", which found such favour...Newman
himself. "If," he writes, "it is
necessary to contrast the two with each other, the one
may be considered as withholding the truth, and the
other as setting it out to advantage." (Chapter 1,
page 1) …he quotes with approval …advice of Clement
of Alexandria: "The Alexandrian father," he
affirms, "who has already been quoted, accurately
describes the rules which should guide the Christian in
speaking and writing economically... Whatever is in his
mind is also on his; towards those who are fit
recipients, both in speaking and living, he harmonizes
his profession with his thoughts. He thinks and speaks
the truth; except where careful treatment is necessary,
and then, as a physician for the good of his patients,
he will LIE, or rather utter a LIE, as the Sophists
say…Nothing, however, but his neighbour’s good will
lead him to do this. He gives himself up for the
church". (Pg. 2)

While what
Newman presented was supposedly for people of faith he
admits that it didn't come from the Word of God, although
that should not really be a surprise when you read it.

"...It
is worthy of note that Newman affirmed that these secret
doctrines were not learnt from the Scriptures. ..he
writes, "How was any secrecy practicable, seeing
that the Scriptures were open to everyone who chose to
consult them?…the secret doctrines of the early
church, have never been learnt merely from
Scripture"…Surely the Sacred Volume was never
intended, and is not adapted, to teach us our
Creed". (pg 2)

"Pusey
wrote:

..."I
know not that the Popish controversy may not just be the
very best way of handling Ultra-Protestantism, i.e.,
neglecting it, not advancing against, but setting
Catholic views against Roman Catholicism and so
disposing of Ultra-Protestantism by a side wind, and
teaching people Catholicism, without their suspecting,
while they are only bent on demolishing Romanism. I
suspect we might thus have people with us, instead of
against us, and that they might find themselves
Catholics before they were aware." (Pg. 10.)

Many
people are caught up in the ritualism and manner of the
Catholic church, while denying it their "verbal
support." We find the same thinking and behavior
throughout all religions. Lip service is nothing new, and
those claiming to belong to Jesus Christ are cautioned about
this very thing.

Revelation
3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:
I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out
of my mouth.

A plan was
devised to bring Protestants back into the Roman Catholic
Church.

"The
English clergy were formerly too attached to the
Articles of Faith to be shaken from them. …to reunite
them to the Romish Church; and so the Jesuits of England
employed another plan. This was to demonstrate from
history…the legitimacy of the usages of the English
Church, whence, through the exertions of the Jesuits
concealed among its clergy, might arise a studious
attention to Christian antiquity. This was designed to
occupy clergy in long, laborious and abtruse
investigation, and to alienate them from their
Bibles."

"
…a Roman priest asked Desanctis: "But …would be
for the greater glory of God, that all the Puseyites
(followers of Dr.Pusey) should become Catholics?"
"No my son, the Puseyite movement must be left
alone that it may bring forth fruit. If all the
Puseyites were to declare themselves Catholics, the
Movement would be at an end. Protestants would be
alarmed, and the whole gain of the Catholic Church would
be reduced to some million of individuals and no more.
From time to time it is well that one of the Puseyite
leaders should become a Catholic, in order that, under
our instructions, the Movement may be better conducted,
but it would not be desirable for many of them to come
over to Catholicism. Puseyism is a living testimony to
the necessity of Catholicism in the midst of our
enemies; it is a worm at the root which, skillfully
nourished by our exertions, will waste Protestantism
till it is destroyed." (Pg 32-33)

We are
constantly on information overload and activity overload,
where we fill our time with everything but the study of the
Word of God and time with Him.

Walsh
claims the Society of the Holy Cross consisted of the
following consisted of "of Bishops, Priests, Deacons,
and candidates for Holy Orders." .. "The Objects
of the Society" are,... "to maintain and extend
the Catholic faith and Discipline…" (Pg. 48)

Amidst
controversy, the Society, instead of being perceived wrong,
reconstructed:

...(After
controversy the issue of disbanding the Society was
discussed) " …to dissolve would be to create
confusion in certain minds, and would involve some loss
of self-respect; if we dissolved we acknowledged
ourselves to be in the wrong, and destroyed the great
instrument we had for promoting the Catholic Revival in
this country.... the Society had been rushed into the
midst of its foes, and was now surrounded, and in danger
of being cut to pieces. There was nothing for it but to
"take open order,’ to skirmish as it were for a
time, to pass through our enemies and re-form in a
stronger position…. he (Rev. E.G. Wood) counseled
disbanding the Society, with the view of thereby
escaping …reconstructing the Society under the same or
a similar title….(pg 130-131)

Note—they
voted not to disband.

"The
Order of Corporate Reunion is even more secret… than
the Society of the Holy Cross…more
Popish…acknowledging the Pope as the Lawful Head of
the whole visible Church on earth…. supplying the rank
and file of the Ritualist, in the Church of England,
with the Roman doctrine and ritual for which they
craved... the real object …to bring not only
themselves, but the whole Church of England with them,
back to the Pope—and this is what is meant by
Corporate Reunion. (Chapter 5, pg. 147...)

The idea
was, give people what they are looking for and they won’t
look any further. It appeared to work, and continues to do
so today.

Chapter IX
of this book entitled, "The Romeward Movement",
probably holds some of the most controversial yet relevant
statements of the whole book. The thinking and strategies to
move all people back to Rome continues today at a rate that
is phenomenal.

"If
the Majority of the Church of England could have been
induced to accept the views of these advanced Romanizers,
she would have been sufficiently "Catholicised"
for reunion with the Papacy. ...The romanizers….
thought they were, even then, within a measurable
distance of the realization of their hopes. So full of
expectation…Their Roman Catholic brethren must be let
into the secret. So an anonymous letter was sent…now
known, the author was Rev. W. G. Ward (a letter
published 1841)…. From this very remarkable and
thoroughly Jesuitical letter, I give the following
extracts: ---

"You
see, then sir, that humility, the first condition of
every sound reform, is not wanting in us. We are little
satisfied with our position... We groan at the sins
committed by our ancestors in separating from the
Catholic world. We experience a Burning desire to be
reunited to our brethren. We love with unfeigned
affection the Apostolic See, which we acknowledge to be
the head of Christendom; and the more so because the
Church of Rome is our mother, which sent from her bosom
the blessed Saint Augustine, to bring us her immovable
faith. We admit also, that it is not our formularies, or
even the Council of Trent, which prevent our union.
After all these concessions, you may ask me, why, then,
do you not rejoin us? What is it that prevents you?…
"There are at this moment, in the Anglican Church,
a crowd of persons who balance between Protestantism and
Catholicism, and who, nevertheless, would reject with
horror the very idea of a union with Rome. The
Protestant prejudice, which, for three hundred years,
have infected our Church, are unhappily to deeply rooted
there to be extirpated without a great deal of address.
[Did he not really mean sly cunning?] We must, then,
offer in sacrifice to God this ardent desire that
devours us of seeing once more the perfect unity of the
church of Christ. We must still bear the terrible void
which the isolation of our Church creates in our hearts,
and remains still until it pleases God to convert the
hearts of our Anglican confreres, especially of our holy
fathers, the bishops. We are destined, I am persuaded,
to bring back many wandering sheep to the knowledge of
the truth. In fact, the progress of Catholic opinions in
England, for the last seven years, is so inconceivable
that no hope should appear extravagant. Let us, then,
remain quiet for some years, TILL, BY GOD’S BLESSING,
THE EARS OF ENGLISHMEN ARE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO HEAR THE
NAME OF ROME PRONOUNCED WITH REVERENCE. At the end of
this term you will soon see the fruits of our
patience." (Pg. 280)

"(Removing
the Barriers) …1867, the authorities of the
Society of the Holy Cross were busily engaged in
securing signatures…at the first Lambeth Conference.
The Romeward leanings of the society…. This document
will be read … all who love the freedom of the Church
of England, and believe that it would be a sin to join
the Roman communion… "We are mindful of efforts
made in former time by English and foreign Bishops and
theologians to effect, by mutual explanations on either
side, a reconciliation between the Roman and Anglican
Communions. And, considering the intimate and visible
union which existed between the Church of England and
the rest of Western Christendom, we earnestly entreat
your lordships seriously to consider the best means of
renewing like endeavors, and to adopt such measures as
may, under the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, be
effectual in REMOVING THE BARRIERS which now divide the
Western Branch of the Catholic Church." (Pg. 324)

The
strategies and thoughts are found in groups such as Promise
Keepers whose leadership have stated:

"
We believe that we have a 'God-given mission' to unite
Christian men who are separated by race, sectarianism,
age, culture and economics... the biblical directive to
be 'ambassadors of reconciliation' compels us to
breakdown the walls that have divided and polarized the
Body of Christ for too long." (Promise Keepers
Statement of Faith, Promise Keepers 1996 magazine, pg.5)

Also in
the PK pamphlet "Biblical Unity & Biblical
Truth: a Necessary Tension", we find the split of
the Christian church discussed.

"...for
the first thousand years, there was but one recognized
Church....the first major division...resulting in the
Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic
Churches...another fracture occurred leading to the
creation of the Protestant Church. Protestanism...the
formation of a myriad of denominations and sects, each
intending in its own way to maintain the purity of the
Gospel and uphold Biblical Christianity...the Ecumenical
Movement. Intending a broad-based reunification,...In
view of history, and in spite of the difficulties
involved, Promise Keepers believes the Lord is calling
Christian men to denominational reconciliation... sought
to find the common ground upon which all Christians can
unite....Therefore, while Promise Keepers desires to
call men of all Christian denominations together in
Biblical unity, that unity must be based on the
historically essential truths of Christianity..."

Going by
the historical presentation in their document, Promise
Keepers leadership and adherents believe that each
denominational split from the original Church are to be
considered part of the denominational reconciliation and
unity. Finding common ground in this way, although claiming
to be based on the Biblical truth of Christ, is really the
same concept as the secular "unity in diversity".
Unity on the things we can agree on, tolerance and respect
for the things we disagree with.

"(Appendix
PG 380) - Reunion with Rome (what the Ritualists
Teach) " We have no wish to revile the faith of
Roman Catholics, for it is the same faith of our own; we
have no wish to insult their worship, for we worship God
in the same Eucharist;…The real difference in the
matters of faith between a sincere and intelligent Roman
Catholic and a Catholic-minded member of the Church of
England is the merest shadow of a shade. Each refers to
Holy Scriptures, each refers to the history of the
Church through its eighteen centuries of existence, as
the real test of the truth of its doctrines, and the
difference between them therefore cannot be great. The
spirit of schism would lead each to magnify difference
to the greatest possible extent, but the spirit of
Christian faith and love will lead to a different
conclusion. Two things we know for certain, …Catholic
Unity is a plain Christian duty; and secondly that there
can be no such thing as Catholic Unity without the
Bishop of Rome as the lawful Primate and President of
Christendom…."

"Of
course to those whose cry is ‘No peace with Rome’,
and whose glory is in the shame of divided Christendom,
it [i.e. Corporate Union] is a thing as incredible as
hateful, the wish that it may ever be so is the father
to the thought; … What we have to strive and pray for
is the restoration of the outward, visible, corporate
manifestation of that unity. Do, brethren, consider
seriously these things, and be not lead away by blind
prejudice, and by that insensate outcry against Rome and
Popery."

What has
been taking place throughout the religious world is a
culmination and continuation of this thinking. It did not
stop. It did not fade away. It simply has manifested itself
with different people and groups embracing and forwarding
the agenda.

Scripture
always provides a clear course of action for any situation
we encounter.

2
Corinthians 6:14-18

"Be
ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what
communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath
Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with
an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with
idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath
said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be
their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out
from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and be
a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty."

Notes:

1.
“Inquisition” in“The Catholic Encyclopedia,”Volume VIII (8),
1910 (online edition 2002).The statement opposing freedom of religion is in
the second paragraph of the article. The Office of the
Inquisition is an ecclesiastical institution for
suppressing heresy.It is a permanent office with headquarters in Rome (described
on pages 1 and 23-24 of my print-out). http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08026a.htm

For
a Protestant perspective on the Inquisition, you can go to
the following article.It is on the web site of Bart Brewer, who is a
former Catholic priest. http://mtc.org/~bart/inquis.htm

2.“Code of Canon Law,” Latin English edition, New
English Translation(Washington,
DC: Canon Law Society of America, 1988),pages 247 and 409, Canons 752, 1311-1312.The 1983 “Code of Canon Law” was translated into
English in 1988.It
is available online.The following links go to the Index of the book,
which has links to the laws.Canon 752 is near the beginning of Book III.Canons 1311-1312 are in the beginning of Book VI.

http://www.intratext.com/X/ENG0017.htm

http://digilander.libero.it/gergely/cic_en.htm

http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/canon/

3.
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church,” Paragraphs 85,
100, 891, and 2051.The
“Catechism” summarizes the essential and basic
teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.It was approved by Pope John Paul II in 1992 and
the English translation was released in 1994.The latest English edition was printed in 2000.It is available on-line, with a search engine.

http://www.christusrex.org/www2/kerygma/ccc/searchcat.html

4.
“Catechism of the Catholic Church,” Paragraphs 87,
1310, and 2037.

Copyright . All articles are the sole property of SeekGod.ca and Vicky Dillen. All Scripture King James Version unless otherwise stated.

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